1 Kit with a half-finished project.
Dana Stewart
Sew do it already
Modern seamstress Amy Butler offers 15 home-deco projects for even the most novice sewer in the Sew-It Kit
By Dana Stewart
Published: November 15th, 2007 | 3:38pm
Anyone can sew. Well, to be more specific, anyone who knows how to operate a basic sewing machine can, in fact, sew. And by “sew,” I mean going beyond attaching Che Guevarra patches to your backpack or (re)fixing the hole in the crotch of your favorite jeans. With the Sew-It Kit, almost anyone can start fabricating items from scratch and reap the lovely benefits of making something all by your damn self.
I have wanted to start sewing for a long while now, and this kit was the perfect introduction (not only because I have a deep-seated love for literally anything that comes in a kit, and I always have been that way. Just ask my mom.). Amy Butler’s Sew It Kit includes instructions and patterns to create 15 projects for the home, all of which would make fabulous gifts for virtually anyone, even if they don’t have a “home.” The difficulty level ranges somewhat but is accessible for anyone with even the most rudimentary crafting knowledge. As for myself, I’ve done minimal tailoring through high school (mainly making overalls into god-awful ugly jumpers, altering T-shirts from Goodwill, things of that nature), but had never actually fabricated something from just a pattern and some fabric. The Sew-It Kit has changed all that, and I hope to now start an illustrious career in crafting and/or fashion amazing-ness.
The kit’s 15 projects are detailed on sturdy folding cards, ranging from a reversible tissue-box holder to a kitty tunnel lined with faux fur. This is not a kit for those working up to their Project Runway tryout; all these projects are non-apparel items (for clothing, I recommend Butler’s Midwest Modern kit.) Also included, other than the very helpful literature and patterns, were two scraps of fabric and a tiny spool of thread, from which I made a virtually useless mini-pillow. After the fact, I read on Butler’s Web site that the included fabric and thread is the specific amount needed for the reversible tissue-box holder, but this was not readily obvious — and this is really my only criticism of the kit.
My first step was to buy a sewing machine -— an essential supply that is not listed in the Sew-It Kit. Clearly, though, I will use my new Singer 8280 for the rest of my life, and at $80 I feel I got off light. After lugging my purchase home from Target, I watched the DVD that came with the machine to refresh my bobbin-winding and needle-threading skills, and I was off to the crafting races.
The project I made was the Market Tote, a simple and sturdy bag for groceries, books, or other large items. The fabric needed for the project ran about $15 (I chose to get some really pretty fabric instead of the absolute cheapest available). Some basic supplies that any sewer should have — including a good pair of fabric shears, thread, pins, a fabric pencil, and a tackle box to hold everything — was another $20. The Sew-It Kit outlines all essential materials and techniques and quickly goes through the basics of sewing fabrication, with an excellent glossary of terms you will keep running into. (I actually took the book and the pattern I was using to the fabric store with me, which was quite helpful. Also, my finished bag must be dedicated to the girl in Jo-Ann fabrics who did not treat me like the idiot I clearly was.)
All told, the bag took me about six hours (or six episodes of The Office and Jim Jarmusch’s Night on Earth.) OK, so the straps don’t match up exactly on the bottom, and the outer layer was a bit bigger than the inner so I had to do a little cinching thing at the corners, but I can tell you one thing for sure: My mom will not care.
I feel sew liberated now and cannot stop looking around my apartment for things I could make/improve with my new skills. So thanks to Amy Butler, I can call myself a sewer! In the words of Stephen Colbert, “So Can You."
ABOUT THE BOOKSew-It Kit (Chronicle) By Amy Butler 32 pages $24.95
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